Argyranthemum plant named ‘Supamarg’

ABSTRACT

A distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named ‘Supamarg’, characterized by its compact, uniform, upright to outwardly spreading, and mounded plant habit; freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants; glossy dark green foliage; freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant; single inflorescence form; pink and white bi-colored ray florets and disc florets that are initially dark red at the apex and become bright yellow with development.

Botanical classification/cultivar denomination: Argyranthemum frutescenscultivar Supamarg.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofArgyranthemum plant, botanically known as Argyranthemum frutescens andhereinafter referred to by the name ‘Supamarg’.

The new Argyranthemum is a product of a planned breeding programconducted by the Inventor in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia. Theobjective of the program is to create and develop new compactArgyranthemum cultivars with numerous inflorescences with attractive rayfloret coloration.

The new Argyranthemum originated from a cross by the Inventor in 1998 ofa proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as codenumber X96.1999.1, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with aproprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescens identified as codenumber J25, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newArgyranthemum was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a plantwithin the progeny of the stated cross in a controlled environment inCobbitty, New South Wales, Australia in October, 1999. The selection ofthe new Argyranthemum was based on its numerous single inflorescencesand pink and white bi-colored ray florets.

Asexual reproduction of the new Argyranthemum by terminal cuttings takenin a controlled environment in Cobbitty, New South Wales, Australia,since October, 1999, has shown that the unique features of this newArgyranthemum are stable and reproduced true to type in successivegenerations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new Argyranthemum has not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature and light intensitywithout, however, any variance in genotype.

The following characteristics have been repeatedly observed and aredetermined to be basic characteristics of ‘Supamarg’ and distinguish thenew Argyranthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Compact, uniform, upright to outwardly spreading, and mounded planthabit.

2. Freely branching habit, dense and bushy plants.

3. Glossy dark green foliage.

4. Freely flowering habit with numerous inflorescences per plant.

5. Single inflorescence form.

6. Pink and white bi-colored ray florets and disc florets that areinitially dark red at the apex and become bright yellow withdevelopment.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the female parent,the X96.1999.1, in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum are more compact than plants of theselection X96.1999.1.

2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum have pink and white bi-colored rayflorets whereas plants of the selection X96.1999.1 have cream-coloredray florets.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum differ from plants of the male parent,the selection J25, primarily in ray floret coloration as plants of theselection J25 have pink-colored ray florets.

Plants of the new Argyranthemum can be compared to plants of thecultivar Cobsing, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted inEncinitas, Calif., plants of the new Argyranthemum differed from plantsof the cultivar Cobsing in the following characteristics:

1. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were more vigorous and not as compactas plants of the cultivar Cobsing.

2. Plants of the new Argyranthemum were not as freely branching asplants of the cultivar Cobsing.

3. Plants of the new Argyranthemum flowered later than plants of thecultivar Cobsing.

4. Ray florets of plants of the new Argyranthemum were pink and whitebi-colored whereas ray florets of plants of the cultivar Cobsing werepink in color.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Argyranthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof three typical flowering plants of ‘Supamarg’ grown in a 21-5-cmcontainer. The photograph at the bottom of the sheet comprises aclose-up view of typical leaves, flower buds and inflorescences of‘Supamarg’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs, following observations and averagedmeasurements describe plants grown in Encinitas, Calif., in an outdoornursery during the late winter and early spring with day temperaturesabout 15° to 24° C., night temperatures about 10° to 19° C., and lightlevels about 5,000 foot-candles. Plants were grown for 14 weeks in21.5-cm containers with three plants per container. Plants were pinchedone time about five weeks after planting. Color references are made toThe Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where general termsof ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Botanical classification: Agyranthemum frutescens cultivar Supamarg.

Parentage:

Female or seed parent.—Proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescensidentified as code number X96.1999.1, not patented.

Male or pollen parent.—Proprietary selection of Argyranthemum frutescensidentified as code number J25, not patented.

Propagation:

Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.

Time to initiate roots.—About 10 days at 20° C.

Time to produce a rooted cutting.—About 21 days at 20° C.

Root description.—Fine, fibrous and freely branching.

Plant description:

General appearance.—Inverted triangle; compact, uniform, upright tooutwardly spreading, and mounded plant form with dense foliage andinflorescences held above the foliage on long peduncles. Vigorous growthhabit.

Plant height.—About 38 cm.

Plant width.—All three plants: About 74 cm. Single plant: About 35 cm.

Lateral branch description.—Quantity per plant: About 9. Length: About34 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Internode length: About 1 cm. Aspect: Uprightto outward. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 144A.

Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate, simple. Quantity perlateral branch: About 18. Length: About 6.25 cm. Width: About 5 cm.Shape: Pinnatifid, deeply divided. Apex: Acute. Base: Attenuate. Margin:Serrate. Texture, both surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern:Parallel. Petiole length: About 2.8 cm. Petiole diameter: About 4 mm.Petiole texture: Smooth.

Color.—Young foliage, upper surface: 137A. Young foliage, lower surface:137B. Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: 147A; glossy. Fullyexpanded foliage, lower surface: 147B. Venation, upper and lowersurfaces: 147B. Petiole, upper and lower surfaces: 147C.

Inflorescence description:

Appearance.—Single composite inflorescence form with ligulate rayflorets. Inflorescences held upright on terminal and axillary peduncles.Disc and ray florets arranged acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescencespersistent. Inflorescences fragrant; faint sour smell. Inflorescenceslast about seven days on the plant.

Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower from springto early fall; plants flower continuous during this period.

Quantity of inflorescences.—Very freely flowering; about 28 flower budsand inflorescences per lateral branch and more than 250 flower buds andinflorescences per plant.

Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 4.5 cm. Depth (height): About 1 cm.Diameter of disc: About 1.4 cm. Receptacle diameter: About 1.4 cm.Receptacle height: About 3 mm.

Flower buds.—Height: About 1 cm. Diameter: About 8 mm. Shape: Roughlyovoid. Color: 73C.

Ray florets.—Quantity per inflorescence: About 21 arranged in one whorl.Shape: Ligulate. Length: About 2 cm. Width: About 6 mm. Apex:Emarginate. Base: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lowersurfaces: Smooth, velvety. Aspect: Initially upright; when mature,perpendicular to the peduncle. Color: When opening, upper surface:Towards apex, 68B; towards base, 155D. When opening, lower surface: 68D.Fully opened, upper surface: Towards apex, 73B to 73D; towards base,155D; fading to mostly 155D with 73D at apex with subsequentdevelopment. Fully opened, lower surface: 73D.

Disc florets.—Arrangement: Massed at the center of the inflorescence.Quantity per inflorescence: About 160. Shape: Tubular, five-parted atapex; apex, acute; base, fused. Length: About 6 mm. Diameter: At apex:About 2 mm. At base: Less than 1 mm. Color: Immature: Apex: 179A.Mid-section and base: 14B. Mature: Apex: 12A. Mid-section: 157B. Base:157A.

Involucral bracts.—Appearance: Scale-like; margins, papery. Quantity perinflorescence: About 24. Length: About 3 mm. Width: About 2 mm. Shape:Elliptic. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate. Margin: Entire. Texture, upperand lower surfaces: Glabrous, smooth. Color: Upper surface: 144C. Lowersurface: 144B.

Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: Upright to about 45° from vertical.Length: First peduncle: About 8.5 cm. Fourth peduncle: About 13 cm.Seventh peduncle: About 16 cm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture: Smooth,glabrous. Color: 144A.

Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Present on disc florets only. Quantityper floret: Five fused around style. Anther shape: Ovoid. Anther length:Less than 1 mm. Anther color: 14B. Amount of pollen: Scarce. Color: 14B.Gynoecium: Present on both ray and disc florets. Quantity per floret:One. Pistil length: About 6 mm. Stigma shape: Two-parted. Stigma color:14A. Style length: About 3 mm. Style color: 144D. Ovary color: 157A.Seed/fruit: Seed and fruit production has not been observed.

Disease resistance: Resistance to pathogens common to Argyranthemum hasnot been observed on plants grown under commercial conditions.

Temperature/weather tolerance: Plants of the new Argyranthemum have beenobserved to be tolerant to rain, wind and to temperatures from −1° C. to30° C.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of Argyranthemum plant named‘Supamarg’, as illustrated and described.